Emet Inspire - Rabbi Reuven Kigel - Elul

[Music] Okay. Hello everyone. We're smack in the middle of the month of El. So, first of all, we have to know that all the months have special uh energies and those energies in Hebrew are called the mazal or the mazalot, but in English they're loosely translated as the astronomical signs. So for example, rashash shana is coming up and that's in the month of tish. So tish is the uh astronomical sign the mazal of the scales and what happens on rashash shana judgment day. So now what happens before shashana the month we're in now alul. So the the uh sign for that is Virgo. Now what does Virgo represent? It represents youth and renewal and and and purity. And that's what the month of El is here to do. We can go back through tshouva through repentance. Go back to a pure state. So I'm just going to explain very quickly how tshoua works and then I'm going to leave the hard work up to you. So tshoua has four parts to it according to the rambom. And uh that's if someone does something wrong, which the human condition is. We are known to do things wrong once in a while. And I like to use, for example, someone has a Wendy's bacon double cheeseburger for 99 cents. Okay, let's say someone Jewish guy, they couldn't help themselves. They don't want to pay $19.99 for a kosher version of that. And see, oh, Wendy's. Wow, it's only 99 cents. So, I'm going to The guy says, "Oh, I'm going to have a Wendy's bacon double cheeseburger." Then comes El and he says, "Wow, I feel like so bad. Rashan is coming up. I don't want to get judged for this. So what's the tshoua process? So here is the four-step process. The first thing someone has to say that they are sorry to Hashem and if they sinned against a human being, they have to also apologize to the human being. Here we're just talking about Hashem since we're talking about the Wendy's double cheeseburger with bacon. So now someone says, "Ugh, Hashem, I had this Wendy's double cheeseburger for 99 cents and I feel so bad about it and I'm so sorry. Can you please forgive me?" So that is the first part of sashua, right? One is to apologize and ask for forgiveness. And then two, we sort of lump them together is to feel bad. It's called to actually have remorse for what you did. So again, the person says what they did wrong, say, "I'm so sorry, Hashem, please forgive me." Or, "I'm so sorry, mom. Please forgive me." Or, "I'm so sorry, whoever, please forgive me." If you sin against a person as well, and then to really feel bad and remorse is step two. Now, step number three is how not to do the sin again. Now, it's easy to say like, "Oh, I'm never going to do this again." But without a plan, it just works. You have to have some sort of plan of how not to do the sin again. And the fourth phase of tshoua is if you're put in the exact same situation and this time you don't sin. So we put all together very quickly. So the person says, "Hashem, I'm so sorry that I ate a Wendy's double cheeseburger that I got for 99 cents with some bacon on it. Can you please forgive me? I feel so bad. And my plan for not doing it again is I'm going to make sure I have $20 in my pocket to buy a kosher version of it. Or I'm going to learn more about the laws of Kashroo. this way. I'm not going to want to eat it again or I'm just not going to walk by Wendy's ever again. Whatever the plan, there's some plan never to do it again. And finally, you're in the same situation and you walk by the Wendy's, you go to the kosher place or you avoid the Wendy's or whatever it is. And this way is a full shiva. Feel bad, say you're sorry, ask for forgiveness, make a plan, and when put in the same situation, do not repeat the mistake. [Music]